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International comparison:
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For more information on this release:
E-mail: agri@cso.ie Colm Hassett (+353) 21 453 5367 Kevin Sheppard (+353) 21 453 5517 Barry O'Reilly (+353) 21 453 5359
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 2009-566X
CSO statistical release, , 11am

Milk Statistics

March 2016

Domestic Milk Intake2015 2016 % change  
   million litres    
 March 454.0 582.5 28.3%  
 Jan-Mar 783.9 1,040.8 32.8%  

Domestic milk intake up 28.3% in March

Figure 1 MS - Domestic Milk Intake
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Domestic milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers was estimated at 582.5 million litres for March 2016. This was 28.3% above the corresponding 2015 figure. See graph opposite.

Comparing the March 2016 milk produce figures with those for March 2015 shows that:

  • Total milk sold for human consumption decreased by 2.9% to 44.0 million litres.
  • Butter production was up 35.2% to  20,000 tonnes.

See Table 1 for more details.

The information used to compile this release was collected under EU Directive 96/16/EC.

Table 1 Milk Statistics          
                
CategoryYearUnitJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
     
Domestic milk intake2014million132.0214.0470.7697.0785.5732.4688.0608.2519.2426.3237.7137.65648.5
   by creameries and2015litres114.8215.1454.0784.3875.1819.2768.9 1693.9 1604.2 1536.3 1347.9 1181.6 16395.2 1
    pasteurisers2016152.3 1306.0 1582.5          
      
     Fat content2014%4.114.114.083.873.753.733.823.974.174.494.554.253.98
 20154.114.154.063.823.783.803.934.044.244.43 14.604.374.03
 20164.184.24 14.16          
      
Imported milk intake ²2014million38.837.640.843.651.145.444.840.938.637.443.948.2511.1
   2015litres50.747.549.953.060.458.646.842.739.640.544.853.7588.0
 201655.353.354.4          
      
Total milk sold for human2014million40.436.644.136.942.240.539.839.239.240.141.239.5482.2
    consumption ³2015litres42.938.745.339.643.841.743.243.542.243.441.841.7507.8
 201642.541.4 144.0          
      
of which:2014million23.521.325.421.924.924.323.323.223.223.624.224.9283.6
  Whole milk sales2015litres25.022.726.623.626.224.925.525.524.725.524.424.4298.9
 201624.824.2 125.8          
      
    Skimmed & semi-2014million16.915.418.715.017.416.216.516.016.016.517.117.2198.6
     skimmed milk sales2015litres17.916.018.716.117.616.817.718.017.417.917.317.3208.9
 2016 17.817.2 118.2
       
Butter2014'0004.46.214.417.321.719.620.317.515.713.59.85.9166.4
 2015tonnes3.56.614.820.3 122.8 123.2 122.7 120.2 117.2 115.7 112.5 18.1 1187.5 1
 20165.0 19.4 120.0
       
Skimmed milk powder2014'000*0.83.96.511.911.010.18.44.9**3.970.6
 2015tonnes1.71.32.914.820.420.916.913.710.98.2**123.0
 2016 4.23.5 111.1
       
Cheese 2014'0002.36.518.422.824.826.521.820.422.114.85.32.7188.4
 2015tonnes1.97.015.920.023.226.522.523.826.819.716.13.5207.1
                
1 Revised.       
2 Raw milk imports and imported milk for processing on contract. This does not include imported packaged milk for retail sale.
3 Does not include imported packaged milk for retail sale.       
* Confidential.      
  
EU Milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers‘000 tonnes
    
        CountryJan - Dec 14Jan - Dec 15% change
    
European Union 1148,418151,6722.2
    
   Austria3,0673,1031.1
   Belgium3,6893,956 27.2
   Bulgaria510505-0.8
   Croatia523513-1.8
   Cyprus164162-0.8
   Czech Republic2,4142,5003.6
   Denmark5,1135,2703.1
   Estonia730720-1.4
   Finland2,3572,3941.6
   France25,309 325,371 30.2 
   Germany31,37531,8781.6 
   Greece619612-1.1
   Hungary1,4701,5364.5
   Ireland5,8166,58513.2
   Italy11,02410,641 3-3.5
   Latvia805807 30.3
   Lithuania1,4361,4380.2
   Luxembourg3063338.8
   Malta4342-2.8
   Netherlands12,47313,3266.8
   Poland10,58110,8692.7
   Portugal1,8631,9283.5
   Romania995916-8.0
   Slovakia8448652.5
   Slovenia5325544.1
   Spain6,601 36,720 31.8
   Sweden2,9312,9330.1
   United Kingdom14,829 315,194 32.5
    
  Source: New Cronos database, Eurostat (except Ireland and European Union total, CSO). 
1 Figures for EU include provisional France, Italy, Latvia, Spain and UK figures, estimated Belgium figures.
2 Estimate.   
3 Provisional.   
    

Background Notes

 

Coverage

The monthly milk and milk products inquiry is a census of all creameries and pasteurisers.

Milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers

Whole milk purchased by creameries and pasteurisers from domestic producers through collection depots and separating stations including whole milk obtained from herds owned by the creameries and pasteurisers.  The fat content of the whole milk is also collected.  To convert milk intake from million litres to ‘000 tonnes use the following formula:

                1 tonne liquid milk = 971.164 litres.

Skimmed milk

Milk with less than or equal to 0.3% fat content.

Semi-skimmed milk

Milk with between 1.5% and 1.8% fat content.

Skimmed milk powder

Milk powder with not more than 1.5% milk fat content.

Cheese

The cheese figures are not adjusted to a calendar month basis.

Imported Milk Intake

Raw milk imports and imported milk for processing on contract. This does not include milk already packaged for retail sale.

 

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